The Kings came into the 2018/19 season projected to be a 25-win team. They’ve already blown past that projection and continue to vie for a playoff spot in a competitive Western Conference. And in the view of head coach Dave Joerger, the club’s success this season is just the start of something special in Sacramento, as Jason Anderson of The Sacramento Bee details.
“We’re playing hard and we don’t quit,” Joerger said. “What we’re building here, we will reap the rewards of this for many years to come — not many years from now, but going forward. If this is who we are, and I believe it is, we’re a tough out (in a playoff series) and Sacramento is a tough place to play if you’re a visiting team. We’ll keep coming at you.”
If the Kings’ young players continue to make positive strides, Joerger is right that things should only get better for the franchise moving forward. De’Aaron Fox, Marvin Bagley, Buddy Hield, Bogdan Bogdanovic, and Harry Giles are all in their first, second, or third NBA season, and none are over 26 years old.
Let’s round up a few more notes from around the Pacific…
- Speaking to Kerith Burke of NBC Sports Bay Area, Warriors star Kevin Durant offered a couple interesting answers in a Q&A, suggesting that he won’t be thinking about his legacy when he makes his free agency decision this summer. He also indicated that he doesn’t feel the need to “build something” somewhere. “I don’t need anything in this basketball world to fulfill anything in me. The NBA is never going to fulfill me,” Durant said. “It’s going to make me feel good about all of the work that I’ve put in, but I think those days of me wanting to prove something to anybody or walk around with a huge chip on my shoulder is not my thing.”
- While Kevon Looney is probably still the Warriors‘ more trusted option, he and Jordan Bell have been trending in opposite directions lately, with Bell taking some of Looney’s minutes, per Anthony Slater of The Athletic. Both players are eligible for free agency in 2019, so they’ll be looking to finish the season strong.
- Despite trading away their leading scorer at each of the last two deadlines (Blake Griffin in 2018 and Tobias Harris in 2019), the Clippers remain in the playoff mix and have managed to pull off the enviable feat of retooling their roster without bottoming out, writes Ohm Youngmisuk of ESPN.com. Armed with young players, some draft assets, and cap flexibility going forward, the Clips are in position to make a splash this offseason.
Durant said it’s all about being with family and friends who care about you the most. Talked about being more interested in personal goals than basketball goals. I don’t know if KD could handle the media in Los Angeles or New York?
Come back to TX then and team up with Luka and KP.
Yikes, after taking some time to all gel with eachother, they would be nasty together!!
As a Georgia resident, and lifelong, Bulls fan this is what my NBA life has come down to….Looking at and being jealous of each and every other team that’s either steadily improving, or positioning themselves to improve through the draft or free agency..
However, surprisingly, ever since the Bulls acquired Otto Porter, they’ve actually resembled and looked like a legitimate NBA team…lol They are not going to get either of Zion nor RJB, so they really need to get and draft Ja Morant..Morant, LaVine, Porter, Markkanen, and Carter Jr. could very well be a really solid, up and coming starting five for the Bulls. Add to that group, a young, excellent defensive combo guard and 6th man in Kris Dunn, a young, growing wing in Denzel Valentine, re-sign Lopez as your backup C, sign a veteran PG to mentor and split duties with Morant, add some shooters off the bench, and the Bulls would find themselves squarely behind the likes of the Pacers in that 2nd tier of teams in the East, alongside Brooklyn and Detroit fighting for the 6th spot. As a young team, with a lot of room for growth, that would definitely be an excellent starting point for the Bulls next year…Unfortunately though, that hinders on the Bulls being able to actually get such a young talent like Morant to team up with their young core..
Lately, Markkanen has truly solidified himself as a real up and coming, future star in the league. He’s been averaging over 23ppg and 11rbp over his latest stretch of games, and he is really starting to showcase what kind of all-around player he’s capable of becoming.
LaVine has also continued to develop, showcasing more of an all-around game, but he still needs to turn the ball over less, and needs to work on his passing.
Otto Porter has been an absolute force since coming over, and he has been everything this team was seemingly lacking. He plays solid defense, rebounds well, and his shooting has been lights out!! For the first time, Porter is being looked at as a leader, and he has taken to that role extremely well. His fit in Chicago has been so seamless, it is like he was their perfect fit.
Now, the Bulls just need to identify their PG of their future. Morant is definitely the guy that would fit best with their current core of players, but if the Bulls keep winning, they’re going to play their way out of his services…lol..So, their latest winning ways are definitely a catch-22..It’s been fun as heck to watch LaVine, Markkanen, and Porter light teams up, and the Bulls winning games, but if it is at the expense of getting their PG of the future, and a future all-star caliber talent like Morant, is it really worth it?!?!
I am curious, what would you guys want, if the Bulls were your favorite team??
Morant really hadn’t been heard of until this season, so I’ve studied him. They say his hang up is he can’t shoot, ala. Fultz and Ball.
I like your view on the Bulls. There’s actually some hope in Chicago. I just don’t trust management there and their ability to put together a consistent winning team.
Look at the Kings- new coach changes everything. Starts with the new owner and GM before that. My warriors were crap for 35 years then in comes a new owner and new management the finally a great coach. Lightning in a bottle.
GSW was always a very fun team to watch & root for, with the Run TMC, Spree, C-Webb, Jamieson, Agent 0, Boom Dizz… so I wouldn’t say they were that bad really. Now I really love DMC in that team, he has been great so far this year!
Yeah they were fun to watch most of the time. I remember staying home from work on draft day but disappointed in Todd Fuller Patrick O’Bryant Ike diogu Michael Pietrus Juri Welsh ….
Ask Sean Marks what he thinks of Otto Porter. The dude is a perfect 3 and D and although he’s being paid like a star, he’s almost worth that contract. Wash didn’t showcase him really as he played 3rd wheel to Wall and Beal. I think if he was a number 1 or 2 option for an entire season he’d average like 19-21ppg and 6-8rpg along with 40%+ 3pt. The Bulls won that trade because Parker sucked and Portis was always gonna be behind Markanen so why pay him.
Not to mention the Clips traded Blake FOR Tobias. Cool little trade chain there.
Nobody knows where Durant will be playing next year. Just eliminate teams he will not be playing for. GSW is most likely team he will play. Washington is the surprise team he could sign with being from around there. I wouldn’t rule out San Antonio or mavs. What i would rule out is the Lakers because LeBron is not a easy player to play for.
For 3-4 years the Warriors ownership has had a plan to open their new billion dollar arena in too competitive form. Letting Durant leave months before opening the mega-Arena is not the best way to sell out all the extra season tickets and box seats. It’s my understanding the Warriors, under the NBA payment structure can offer the most. So, I think they will offer Durant a deal he can’t refuse. Ownership said they don’t care how much payroll tax they have to pay. Plus, if Durant leaves the NBA rules don’t allow the Warriors to pick up another super max player outside the current roster until 2020-2021. They can give Klay a super max deal, but they can’t go out a grab another super max all star on the free agent market. So, ownership will get Durant to stay.
Are you seriously worried GSW will not offer all they can?
They will, any team would, depending on limits stated in the CBA. It is Durant’s call as a UFA, not GSW “letting him leave”.
Now, Thompson’s offer… That is the Max question.
If the Kings fail to make the Playoffs, it will solely rest on Joerger’s Shoulders. Divac made a couple of trades and brought in one of the better SF in the league in Harrison Barnes and yet Joerger still insist on using undersized players in the SF position and playing Barnes in the PF spot. We have 3 other PF who now who sit on the bench and twiddle their thumbs. This coach needs to be fired and get a real coach that knows how to utilize his players better. Maybe someone like Marc Jackson.
That is strange to me too, & not sure that was Vlade’s plan. But Joerger was calling him a 3/4 from the start.
That they’re getting the Dallas Barnes, not the GSW Barnes, is the main problem though.